Separate facts from assumptions
“She arrived at the station but did not board a train” does not say she was late, bought the wrong ticket or changed her mind. Remove those imagined details before investigating.
Do not bundle unrelated explanations
“Was she late, unable to pay, or waiting for a friend?” combines several directions. Try “Did she come to the station to travel?” first. The answer tells you whether tickets and departures are worth pursuing.
Check whether the question changes your next step
Original teaching explanation: she came to meet someone. Once you learn she was not there to travel, “Was she waiting for someone to arrive?” follows naturally. This example does not reveal an in-game solution.
Name the actor and the cause
“Did he cause it?” may leave both references unclear. “Did the driver’s action prevent the passenger from boarding?” identifies the people and the direction of causation.
One theory at a time is advice, not a rule
The game supports natural language, references across turns and multiple discoveries in one question. Breaking questions down reduces ambiguity; a clear complete theory is welcome too.
Skip details that do not explain the outcome
Names, clothing colours and exact dates are often unnecessary. Prioritize conditions that make the surprising event understandable.
A complete question sequence
Use the original station exercise above. Ask “Did she intend to leave on a train?” Answer: No. Ask “Was she there to meet someone?” Answer: Yes. Ask “Was she meeting someone arriving by train?” Answer: Yes. This explains why she visited without boarding. It illustrates a line of reasoning, not a recorded game or a promise that every puzzle takes three questions.
Four useful directions for a first question
Purpose: what is the person trying to do? Conditions: does a particular object or setting matter? Timing: does the order of events matter? Cause: how could a confirmed fact explain the outcome? Choose the direction most closely related to the surprising detail instead of running through a fixed checklist.
What to do after a No
A No rejects the theory you asked about, not every alternative. “She did not come to travel” does not prove that she came to meet someone. Keep other possibilities open and ask a question that distinguishes them. After repeated irrelevant answers, return to the odd detail in the opening rather than inventing extra characters.